Courtesy: Funky Trunks and Funkita, a SwimSwam partner.
All American and Commonwealth Games Swimmer Meg Bailey left Australia in 2014 for the opportunity of a lifetime, studying and training at Ohio State University. Four years on Bailey is finishing up her Physical Education degree and getting ready to head back to Australia, but not before competing at one last USA Swimming Winter Nationals.
Meg grew up with the support of Aussie swimwear company Funkita and is excited to be part of the Funkita team again through to Tokyo 2020. While getting prepped for Winter Nationals she chatted with the team at Funkita about her experience in the US and her goals for the future.
1. What events will you be competing in at Winter Nationals? What goals have you set for yourself at this meet?
I will be swimming in the 200m IM, 400m IM and 200m Butterfly. This is my first competition since the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games so the goal is to just get in and race and see where I am at.
2. Tell us what your typical week of training at Ohio State University has been like.
A typical week is 10 water workouts plus 3 dryland sessions. On top of all of that you need to fit in time to study. It does get very busy but the athletics department does a great job of supporting athletes.
3. What has it been like for you being an Australian student-athlete at a US university?
It’s probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. It’s a great opportunity, I’ve improved heaps and my teammates are all fantastic. I have really benefited from having such supportive teammates, they really do a great job of bringing the best out in one another especially during training.
4. What stands out as being different between swimming in the US and swimming in Australia?
It is quite different. US swimmers compete for their college or high school while in Australia they compete for a club. It’s also not common to race a dual meet in Australia while it makes up most of the collegiate season in the US. Another major difference is that colligate races are swum in short course yards which was a big adjustment.
5. You achieved the All American status earlier this year, what does this achievement mean to you?
Achieving All American status was a goal of mine since I started at Ohio State. It was great to see all my hard work pay off to get that achievement.
6. You competed at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April, what was that experience like for you?
It was absolutely unreal. It was great to finally make the Australian team and to compete in my home country made it even more special.
7. Are you hoping to qualify for more Australian swim teams in the future? If so, what are you doing to work towards that goal?
Absolutely, the main goal at this stage is the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. I am training hard and doing everything I can to work towards achieving this goal.
8. You were sponsored by Funkita before moving to the US, are you excited to be sponsored by them again?
I am stoked to be back and be a Funkita athlete again! I am a huge fan of all the products and have always recommended them. I’m especially looking forward to trying out their new APEX Predator racing suit. It looks terrific and I can’t wait to wear it at Winter Nationals.
9. What is the thing you miss most about living in Australia?
The beaches for sure. I really can’t take these snowy winters for too much longer!
Meg Bailey is taking over the Funkita Instagram stories (@funkitaswimwear) on November 29 so if you want to get behind the scenes at US Winter Nationals make sure to check it out below.
Check out Funkita on Swimoutlet here.
Check out Funky Trunks on Swimoutlet here.
Swimming gear news courtesy of Funky Trunks and Funkita, a SwimSwam partner.